BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums LACROSSE LIBRARY RULES & REGULATIONS US Lacrosse Women's Rules

this season will bring a new emphasis on the issuing of cards...
...a player receiving 1 yellow will have to leave the field for 3 minutes while the team plays down a player. this will hold true for the second player on that team.
...If/when a third teammate receives a yellow card, she will leave the field for 3 minutes. She may re-enter after that, however another player will need to leave the field, with the team playing down for the remainder of the game.
...each subsequent yellow card will result in an additional player coming off.
...any player receiving a second yellow card in a game will sit out for the remainder of that game PLUS the next team game.
...any unsporting behavior by any bench personnel will result in a yellow card for the head coach. AND the coach will have to remove a player from the field.
...any player receiving a red card will sit out the remainder of that game PLUS 2 additional games.

Readers should be aware that the Rules and Interpretations link is for NCAA, not youth or High School. There are some minor differences.

US Lacrosse Women’s Rules Changes/Clarifications – 2011 Season

On September 12th, the US Lacrosse Board of Directors approved the following rule changes for the women’s game for the 2011 season, as recommended by the US Lacrosse Women’s Rules Subcommittee:

Rule Changes

Rule 2, add NOTE following Section 10 (This is a request that came from the NFHS Rules Committee): Hard and unyielding items (guards, casts, braces, splints, etc.) on the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm or shoulder are prohibited unless padded with a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than ½” thick. Knee and ankle braces that are unaltered from the manufacturer’s original design/production do not require any additional padding.

Rule 3, Section 7 (and Youth Rules) – added the recommendation that US Lacrosse rated umpires be assigned to games. Previous wording only indicated “umpires”.

Rule 3, Section 11 – the scorer must notify the umpire immediately if a team receives its third card.

Rule 5, change NOTE following Section 25 (This is a request that came from the NFHS Rules Committee): Any player who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems) shall be immediately removed from the game and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional. (Additional information regarding concussions will be added to the Appendix. Specifically what is added should be coordinated with the NFHS.)

Rule 7, Misconduct and Suspensions sections – The Rules Committee undertook a complete review of the rules dealing with carding and substantial changes have been made. The basic changes are as follows: The head coach will be responsible for the behavior of personnel affiliated with her team, including all assistant coaches and will receive any cards related to lack of bench decorum. Anyone receiving two yellow cards in a single game must sit out the team’s next game. Anyone receiving a red card must sit out of the team’s next two games. For youth teams using Level FC rules where a check to the head is a mandatory red card a player will continue to sit out one game if a red card is received. Once a team receives its third card of the game the team will play shorthanded for the remainder of the game. They will lose an additional player each time another card is received.

Rule 9, Section 8 – Wording in this section will be changed to match the rule change being implemented at the international level – Pockets must be attached to/anchored along the bottom rail of the head through stringing holes in the bottom rail of the sidewall. The top of the sidewall stringing hole shall not be more than 1.0 cm from the bottom of the sidewall.
Rule Clarifications/Edits

Rule 2, Section 10, last sentence – change “or” to “and” - ….complies with the rules and manufacturers’ specifications …

Rule 3, Section 6a – change “the” to “any” – to call any coin toss (visitors call)…. This will clarify who calls the coin toss for choice of ends for any overtime period.

Rule 5, Section 2 – New sentence added: When setting up the draw the umpire should be aware of possible height differentials between the centers and place the crosses in such a way that neither player gains an advantage.

Rule 5, Section 17e – clarified that the deputy goalie may play the ball with her hand: while within the goal circle may play the ball with her hand, place it in her crosse, and proceed with the game. The phrase indicating the deputy could remove a ball lodged in her clothing or crosse was deleted.

Rule 7, Section 27 – a carded player will serve the penalty time in the team’s bench area.

Youth Rules, Introduction – add language in the rule book to match what is now in the Umpires Manual –A Junior Youth Umpire is under 18 years of age or in High School and is qualified to umpire Youth Level games. The Junior Youth Umpire should be at least two years older than the participants, for example if the umpire is 16 participants should be no older than 14 years of age.

Youth Rules, Start of Game – changed “free position” to “possession” – when a four- goal differential exists the team with fewer goals will take possession at the center, not be given a free position.

Appendix B, Metric Conversions – add a statement on the page indicating that any conversions are approximate and are for information purposes only.

USL Announces Rule Changes Proposed for 2012

BALTIMORE – The US Lacrosse Women's Game Rules Subcommittee has issued a set of rules change recommendations for the 2012 lacrosse season that will be voted on by the US Lacrosse Board of Directors in September. US Lacrosse rules govern all levels of women's lacrosse played in the United States with the exception of the NCAA and international competition.

US Lacrosse will also be proposing standardized boys and girls youth (U15 and below) rule changes for 2012. More information on youth rules can be found at the USL web site.

A summary of the major changes and points of emphasis for women's lacrosse rules:

Checking

• A player may not check towards the body. (In 2011, checks towards the body were allowed as long as the check was deemed controlled and did not cause the crosse or ball to go into the sphere, which is defined as the roughly seven-inch perimeter around a player's head.)

Sphere

• Defensive players may not reach into the sphere to make a check.

• Offensive players will not be permitted to hold their crosses in the sphere so that a check cannot be made. (This is not a rule change, but a change in emphasis.)

Cross Checking

• A point of emphasis in 2012 will be that the use of a player's shaft to hit, push or displace an opponent will not be permitted. (Previously, this foul was included under the Illegal Use of the Crosse section, but will not be stressed in its own category.)

Carding Changes

• Any player or coach receiving two yellow cards will be suspended from the rest of the game. They may both participate in the next game. (Under the 2011 rules, anyone receiving two yellow cards would have been ineligible to participate in the team's next game.)

• A suspended player must remain in her team's bench area for the entire game, including on-field, pre-game, game or post-game activities. If a player is suspended from her team's next game because of a red card, that player may not be dressed in her game uniform for the next game.

• When a card has been issued, a player must leave the field for three minutes. Her team must play short in both the offensive and defensive ends of the field.

Team Foul for Offsides

• When the offensive team commits an offsides violation, the defender closest to the ball will be awarded a free position at that spot (no closer than 8m to the goal circle). The attack player that had the ball will go 4m behind, and the attacker closest to the restraining line will move back onside. Previously, the defensive team was awarded the ball 4m outside of the restraining line.

Two Proposed Stick-Stringing Rules Withdrawn

BALTIMORE, Dec. 5, 2011 - US Lacrosse has announced that the two proposed rule changes for women's lacrosse approved at the September Board of Directors meeting are being withdrawn. The implementation date for those two rules will be delayed until at least August 2013.

The two withdrawn rules, both of which were included in the manufacturer's specifications section of the rule changes summary, are:

• Decorative holes may not be used to attach the pocket to the head.

• The strings may not be looped over the top of the bottom rail of the sidewall.

Those rules may be reconsidered at a later date, but any implementation will not occur prior to August 2013.

The sticks that would have been affected by the implementation of these rules, including but not limited to the Brine Quantum, shall be considered legal for play.

I am surprised that the carding policy of being short on both sides of the field is not considered a bigger deal.